Question : Awareness about Schemes and Programmes

(a) whether the Government has any medium of publicity to create awareness about various schemes and programmes being implemented by the Ministry;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for the “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign during the last three years and the current year;
(c) the manner in which the Government proposes to make the above campaign successful;
(d) the steps being taken to increase the allocations under Jago Grahak Jago programme for its effective implementation; and
(e) whether the number of cases with the consumer forums are pilling up year after year and if so, the reasons therefor and the corrective steps taken in the matter?

THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d) : The Government carries out a multi-media “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign on Pan India basis covering rural and urban areas through Print, electronic, outdoor, social media etc. Grants-in-aid are also released to States/UT Governments for creating consumer awareness in their regional languages. So as to further ensure that the campaign reaches rural and backward areas the Department has been participating in rural fairs/ melas. The funds allocated for Jago Grahak Jago campaign during the last three years and the current year are indicated below:

S. No. Year Funds allocated (in Rs. crore
1 2014-15 76.47
2 2015-16 80.00
3 2016-17 60.00
4 2017-18 62.00



For the next financial year 2018-19, the allocation of funds is Rs.70.00 crores. In order to optimize resources the Department carries out joint campaigns with other Departments on different thematic areas.

(e) : The number of cases filed and disposed of by the three tier consumer Fora in the country is given below:

Sl.No. Name of Agency Cases filed since inception Cases disposed of since inception Cases Pending % of total Disposal
1 National Commission 119092 101581 17511 85.30%
2 State Commissions 780963 669141 111822 85.68%
3 District Forums 4079070 3772943 306127 92.50%
TOTAL 4979125 4543665 435460 91.25%

The reason for pendency of cases in the Consumer Fora is mainly due to vacancy of President and Members. The Central Government has been asking the State Governments to take advance action for filling up of the vacancies so that no Consumer Forum remains non-functional due to vacancy of President and members. In addition, various steps are being taken by the National Commission and State Commissions for speedy disposal of consumer cases, such as holding of Circuit Bench sittings, holding of Lok Adalats, conducting the sittings by the National Commission in summer vacation, constituting Single Member Benches and bunching of matters of similar nature by the National Commission for speedy disposal of cases.
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